Mentioning the diving expedition to Belize that I took part in in an earlier post brought this to mind.

A week before I set off I was browsing around the sale rack in Monsoon searching for funky shorts, when this tune came on. I immediately loved it, which is quite unusual for me, and dashed across to the tills to ask who was singing, and what it was. Having been furnished with the answer I shot off to HMV to buy a copy of the album Listen Without Prejudice, which turned out to be utterly FAB! Even though I’d never taken any notice at all of GM prior to that.

I listened to this tune almost all the way from Manchester to Belize City. (I’m a bit obsessive, like that *g*) I’ll never forget touching down in what was then (and is still) prolly the most exotic place I’ve ever visited, with this great song echoing through my head.

I love the whole album, but the next one is my second favourite. It’s a Stevie Wonder song, I think. He’s another fabulous writer, IMO.

In fact, here’s the Stevie Wonder version too, just for the sake of completeness and the joy of comparison *g*

I’ve finally got round to transferring the pics from my phone to my computer, and saving the ones I liked.

I’ve tidied them up a bit in PSP. Here’s a selection of the ones I liked best, including some clearer pics of the monster conger we met on the beach this morning.

Hmmm… if it’s not one thing it’s another! I’ve noticed that for some reason WordPress doesn’t seem to have recognised them all. It’s made a gallery, but it doesn’t appear to be working properly. I’ll post it and then have a fiddle. Ho hum…

Here’s a tune I love, but I’d forgotten about it until I heard John Williams, classical guitarist, on Great Lives this evening as I was walking Piggly. His chosen ‘great life’ was that of the Paraguayan guitarist, Agustin Barrios Mangore, and the podcast is still available via the link for those who get there before the next episode is broadcast sometime next week.

‘Una Limosna Por el Amor de Dios’ means ‘An offering, for the love of God’, and John Williams explained that blind beggars would say it in order to urge people to make a donation. He explained that the staccato notes are meant to represent the tapping of the beggar’s stick on the ground. It’s quite sublimely beautiful.

For those not quite sure what to make of the melee that calls itself the environmental debate–and maybe even for those who reckon they have it sussed–there was a very interesting edition of Analysis on Radio 4 this week. Here’s the blurb.

Mon, 25 Jan 10

Duration: 29 mins

The BBC’s Ethical Man Justin Rowlatt asks if environmentalists are bad for the planet. Are they being distracted from the urgent task of tackling climate change by a more radical agenda for changing society?

I’m not yet sure what to make of the debate, not having paid sufficient attention and not having a scientific background. I do believe that the stifling of discussion is not generally A Good Thing, though, so I’m concerned to hear people who are clearly better informed than me, and appear to lack an ulterior motive, expressing doubt about the way in which reality is being represented.

Anyway, dash across and listen to Analysis (or download the podcast) here, if interested. Radio 4 podcasts are only available for a week, so best make haste if you’d like to hear it.